


Senses and a distinct lack of Sensibility

by Icka M Chif (mischif)



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Blanket Permission, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious, Pining, Senses, so much pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-26 01:16:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10776423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mischif/pseuds/Icka%20M%20Chif
Summary: Jack has some issues with his senses. Namely, that he really doesn't have them.Bunny agrees to help wake up Jack's senses, but he's got this teeny tiny, itty bitty, twitterpated problem...-The file name for this fic is 'The one where Bunnymund is stupid and  cockblocks himself', because Bunnymund decided to see just how much of an idiot he can be.The answer is 'very'.





	Senses and a distinct lack of Sensibility

* * *

“North is a busy body.” 

Bunny huffed in amusement at the aggravated tone in Jack’s voice. “You’ve been livin’ with him fer _how_ long and ya just figured that out?” He snarked back, setting the egg he’d just finished painting down before turning to look at Jack. 

“Yeah, well…” Jack shrugged, perched on the top of his staff like a bird, before turning his head away to look around the Warren. Bunny let the subject drop, as it gave him a chance to look over the ice elemental. When North had contacted him about there being something physically wrong with Jack, he’d been nearly in panic over worry, but the Guardian of Joy appeared to be fine. 

Possibly even slightly healthier than the last time Bunny had allowed himself to see Jack. The thin fine lines of his body weren’t quite as fragile as when they had first met, probably not only due to the increase of energy from being a Guardian, but North and Phil making sure he ate consistently over the past several years. 

Probably force feeding him on the sly, as well. New recipes to constantly test. Bunny would be lying to himself if he hadn’t had similar thoughts, but a constant stream of chocolate wouldn’t be as healthy as the varied diet of the Pole’s kitchens. 

Jack shifted uneasily under Bunny’s gaze. “Sorry for intruding.” He sighed, glancing at Bunny, then looking away. Bunny could practically smell the burnt-sugar scent of muted, buried hope. “I know you don’t like having me here-”

Bunny held up a hand, cutting that thought off before it could finished getting voiced. “It’s not you.” He said quickly. “First time any of the Guardians saw me Warren was the same time you did. I'm not big on company.” 

The idea that Jack thought it was _his_ fault that Bunny didn’t want to spend time with him… Bunny glanced down at the river. That was the furthest thing from the truth.

It was better this way, maintaining his distance. He’d been down this path before, knew where it led and was loathed to do that again. 

His heart didn’t fall very often, but when it happened, it was always very fast, and very hard. Last time it happened was with Toothiana near on 500 year prior. They’d both been twitterpated with each other, but being a Guardian wasn’t an easy task, and hers was practically 24 hours a day. And back then she hadn’t had nearly the same amount of fairies to direct either. 

They’d broke it off amiably, both having come to the realisation that it was better to be close friends. The result of which being she was the only one he didn’t mind getting close enough to steal his boomerangs off his back. But it was hard picking up the pieces and going back to being solitary. 

Even after all the millennia of being alone, at his heart, Pooka were social creatures, and he still craved that. But it was better… easier… to maintain his seclusion, than deal with that fleeting joy and having it fall apart in pieces through his fingers yet again. He’d been fine with that, more than fine. 

Then Pitch attacked, Sandy died, temporarily, Easter had been ruined, he’d been shrunk back to kit size, with the gnawing knowledge that they could all disappear as the belief in them was being snuffed out. 

Except they hadn’t, because there was _Jack_ with his very blue eyes, the fresh sweet scent of burgeoning hope, and that shy teasing smile that had infuriated him since their first disaster of a meeting. Jack, who had kept belief in the Guardians, in _Bunny_ alive. Who looked at Bunny as if he was something precious to be treasured and… 

Bunny had fallen hard, between one heartbeat and the next. 

The horror hadn’t set in until after Pitch had been defeated, the five of them flying back to the North Pole on the dratted sleigh. Jack had been perched on the back of it, watching the kids, his first believers disappearing into the distance, and Bunny’d had to stop himself from reaching out and making sure that Jack didn’t blow away. 

After his behaviour towards Jack, back in ‘68, and again when facing Pitch, there was no chance for any sort of attraction to be returned. No way to even plant the seed of possibly. He’d burned those bridges before he’d even been aware that there was a possibility of there being bridges _to_ cross. 

Which is why he’d done his best to stick to previous habits, and spend as little time as possible around either Jack or the other Guardians. Isolation was fine, he was used to it. It was comforting even, safe. 

Only now there were meetings and get togethers, North dragging Bunny out of the Warren to check up on him and the others, so there wouldn't be a repeat of the lack of communication that had nearly gotten them all killed. Something which Bunny couldn't argue.

And North, curse his meddling black heart, had recognised the signs from when Tooth and Bunny had been circling around each other, and had a good laugh over it, then scolded Bunny over not making his interest known. After all, Jack had been lonely too, for 300 years, they could keep each other from being lonely.

Except that Jack had North, the Elves and the Yetis. A great big extended family at the Pole. Sandy, Tooth and swarm of happy little fairies to fly with. He had Believers, all eager to see Jack and play with him. 

Jack had no need of a landlocked crusty old Pooka with anger management issues. 

Bunny and North had had a bit of a blue over it the last time they'd met up, and he hadn’t spoken to the old blowhard until a few days ago when North contacted Bunny about there being something wrong with Jack. 

He cleared his throat, putting his paint brush away, thankful that the slight shaking in his fingers from nerves hadn’t been obvious in his brush strokes. Or if anything, had come across as an artistic choice. 

“North said somethin’ about needing my medical knowledge?” Bunny asked, drawing his thoughts back to the subject matter at hand. If this turned out to be some sort of ruse on North’s part, he was going to make sure that all the vegetation in the Pole was laced with poison sumac for the foreseeable future. 

“It’s nothing.” Jack muttered, one hand reaching up to fiddle with the hood on his jumper, but didn’t quite pull it up over his head, like he did when he was sad, or felt the need to hide himself. “North’s just overreacting.” 

It was on the tip of his tongue to agree with Jack, blow it off and send him on his way, except that there was something in the way Jack held himself that didn’t quite fit if it was just North worrying about nothing. “I’ll be the judge of that.” He said drily, shifting so he was facing Jack straight on. “Now what’s goin' on?” 

“There’s nothing _wrong_ with me.” Jack not quite snapped, his mouth pinched in a frown. “I mean, it’s nothing _new_ or…” He huffed, blowing air irritability through his nose. “There were a couple of incidents, and North just found out that maybe I’m a little different, that’s all.” He finally grumbled. 

Bunny’s ears twitched. “Incidents?” 

Jack made an irritated sound in the back of his throat that Bunny clamped down on the urge to find adorable. “So the elves _may_ have replaced the fruit jam with habanero jelly on some cookies as a prank and I complimented the cook on them, cause it had a nice minor kick to it.” 

Bunny waited for the punch line.

“North was washing his mouth out with milk, it was so spicy.” Jack glared down at his toes. “I just thought it was nice that I could taste something.”

“You can’t normally?” Bunny blinked, rocking back on his heels slightly. 

Jack shook his head. “Sometimes, when it’s got a lot of cinnamon or too sugary for everyone else. It’s not like I ate a lot-” He cut the words off with a sharp clack of his teeth. 

It’s not like he ate a lot before he’d become a Guardian. Before he’d moved in with North. From what North had said, eating had been a bit of a novel experience for Jack. He didn’t have a lot of experience with food or flavours, North had paternally clucked over the fact that Jack would eat anything.

As much as Bunny frequently wanted to strangle North, he was silently grateful for the fact that North never held back any news about Jack. The Guardian of Joy was as dear as a favourite grandchild to North, and one of the swordsmen’s favourite topics to prattle on about. 

“Then there was the painting incident, where it turns out I don’t know the difference between red and blue.” Jack continued, ignoring the still hanging sentence. “Or green and orange, or any colours, actually.” 

“You’re colour blind?” Bunny ignored the tightness in his chest at that. Colour… Colour was as vital to him as his plants were, the idea of not being able to see all those glorious shades was a scary one. 

Jack shrugged, exasperatedly waving one hand up in the air. “I don’t know!” He huffed. “How do you recognise a lack of something you’ve never really experienced?!” 

Which was a good point. “Anything else?” Bunny asked. North wouldn’t have contacted him over his taste and vision being different.

“Aaaand I might have gotten a bit of a splinter that everyone over reacted to a couple of days ago.” Jack said, rubbing the back of his head. 

Bunny gave him an annoyed look. It never paid to try to trick a trickster. “How _big_ of a splinter?”

“I dunno?” Jack shrugged dismissively. “Six… Eight inches? It was sticking out of the back my shoulder, it wasn’t like I could see it all that well.”

Bunny took a deep breath, then slowly let it out, reaching up to massage the side of his head where he could feel a headache forming. That wasn’t a splinter, that was a knife wound. “And ya couldn’t feel it in your shoulder?”

“No.” Jack said sullenly. “A little. I didn’t realise it was a big deal.” He snapped, his tone and posture turning defensive. “Not until they freaked out over it, and then completely panicked then pulled it out and I didn’t _splurt blood_ all over them. Like _that’s_ a bad thing!” 

Jack jumped off the staff and started pacing, his face tense and nearly angry, the grip on his staff tight enough to make the tendons on the back of his hands stand out, although to his credit, he didn’t freeze anything. Bunny swallowed back the words, that yes, a lack of blood flow was generally considered to be not a good thing. 

“North thinks I’m _dead_ , okay?!” Jack finally burst out with, waving the hand not holding his staff in the air once again. “That when I died and Manny brought me back to life, that he maybe didn’t bring me back all the way and I’m some sort of _walking undead_ and… and…”

Bunny crossed the space between them in one leap, Jack nearly running into him as he turned. He put one hand on Jack’s shoulder to keep him from falling over. “Stop.” He commanded. “Breathe.” 

Jack startled, taking a gasping breath, then held it without prompting and slowly let it back out. His head dropped, his silver hair nearly brushing the white fur of Bunny’s ruff, and for a moment, Bunny thought that Jack might be leaning towards him for comfort, before dismissing it as foolish.

The temptation to pull Jack towards him was there, to nuzzle him like a Pooka would for reassurance, and he firmly put that thought away. 

“Alright?” Bunny asked, letting his hand drop away and stepping back when Jack nodded. He was silently grateful to North for passing on what Jack had told him of his origins, otherwise he would have been panicking over the whole ‘brought me back to life’ bit. 

Although it was probably a sign of how far over his head he was when the possibly of Jack not being entirely ‘alive’ didn’t deter his crush in the least. 

“So.” Bunny briskly summarised as he sank back down on his haunches. “North’s worried that you might have a slight case of death and sent ya ta old Bunny ta look ya over, since I’m the Avatar of Spring, Life, and all that rot.”

Jack huffed with amusement, leaning on his staff with both hands as he gave Bunny a fond grin that did funny things to his insides. “Yeah, something like that.” Jack agreed. 

Bunny smirked back. “No worries, mate.” He gave Jack a reassuring wink. “I’ve got a few more tricks me disposal than his wizarding hocus pocus.”

That earned him a laugh that made Bunny feel warm. “Alright, first thing first, stand up straight, none of this slouchin’.” Bunny instructed, all business. “Hold on ta yer staff for the moment, if I need to set it down, I’ll let ya know, but it shouldn’t interfere with anythin’.”

“Okay.” Jack did as instructed, taking a deep breath, switching his staff over to his left hand, squaring his shoulders up and straightening his posture. 

“There ya go. Close your eyes, focus on your breathing. In… and out… Nice and steady.” Bunny said, purposely slowing his breathing to match the pattern that he was looking for. Jack nodded and closed his eyes, matching Bunny’s breathing. 

Even if he hadn't meant for it, there was something intimate about matching your breathing with someone else’s, sharing the same breath, the same air. He recognised the thought, relished it for a second, then dismissed it as unimportant at the moment. Right now, he needed to focus on what was going on with Jack. 

“If you’re alright with it, I’m gonna put one hand on top of your head.” Bunny said quietly. He waited until Jack nodded, keeping his eyes closed and his breathing steady, before Bunny reached out and put his palm flat on the top of Jack’s head, pressing down on the cool strands. 

He resisted the urge to stroke Jack’s hair, feel the texture, groom him a bit. He had a job to do, he didn’t have permission for anything more than that.

Jack took a slightly deeper breath, pressing up into the contact before relaxing slightly and he resuming his previous breathing pattern. 

“Alright. I’m gonna put the other on your forehead.” Bunny instructed, Jack’s head bobbing slightly. He put his palm flat on Jack’s forehead, then closed his eyes, focusing on the energy he could feel. 

Everything had energy, plants, trees, creatures, the Earth. Even the snow had an energy pattern to it, if he focused hard enough. The Earth and her plants were the easiest for him to read and understand, a slight push from him was all that was needed to get it to move or grow. It was nearly an unconscious thing for him now, sensing and feeling those energies as if it were an extension of himself. 

One of the main reasons he didn’t like flying, it cut him from from the nurturing Earth.

Living creatures were harder to read, he didn’t have much reason or opportunity to do it, save the occasional time one of the Guardians needed healing past what North’s Yeti couldn't do. It was odd, touching another’s energy instead of the comfortable feeling of the Earth. 

He briefly touched Jack’s energy points, the crown, and the third eye, before moving his hands down to touch the throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral, and root points, softly explaining where was moving his hands before he did it. Jack’s energy was cool and sleepy, sparkling slightly at the contact, very much alive and well, just a little slow for someone who spent so much of their time dancing on the wind. 

Curious, he ran his fingers across Jack’s closed eyes, the smooth lines of his nose and lips, getting a read on things that way, Jack shivering slightly at the touch. Bunny quickly moved on, pressing his palms against Jack’s ears, and then down his shoulders to briefly wrap his fingers around Jack’s hands. Jack almost didn’t seem to notice the touch until Bunny gave Jack’s hands a squeeze before letting them go, shuffling backwards to give Jack some room after being so close inside his personal space. 

Jack slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times, before giving himself a shake, a slow dreamy smile growing across his face. “That was neat.” He said, shifting his weight to lean on his staff. “It was like I could feel you, but not. Dunno. It was nice, you’re very warm.” 

“Ta.” Bunny tilted his head, amused by Jack’s reaction. Both he and Tooth had found it tolerable, but uncomfortable the few they’d touched like that, even if it gave her the energy boost needed to split off all the fairies from her body. But then Air and Earth didn’t mix well at all. 

North was a bit better than Tooth, but North was Fire, and while their elements were complementary, their personalities weren’t, and it exhausted them both. He and Sandy had never tried, never needed to, not with Sandy’s unique composition. Sandy just reformed after an injury, making it impossible to truly hurt him. 

At least, not unless you corrupted all of his sand, as Pitch had so eloquently taught them. But even that, Sandy could recover from. 

Jack was… Bunny mulled over the feel of Jack’s energy. Water. Water was a healing element, although the ice ability probably made that aspect of it a little difficult. But it meshed well with Bunny’s own energies. 

Something he hadn’t needed to know, the feel of Jack’s energy against his. Something he wasn’t going to forget any time soon. 

“So... Am I dead?” Jack asked, just the faintest hint of a nervous waver in his voice as he cradled his staff.

“Nah, you’re apples.” Bunny shook his head. “Nothin’ wrong with you.” 

“But…” Jack gestured at himself. 

Bunny chuckled, holding a hand out. “Mind if I borrow yer staff a second? Won’t harm it none, promise.” 

Jack was a little touchy about other people handling his staff, not that Bunny blamed him after Pitch snapped it in half, something that had riled Bunny up to no end once he’d learned of Pitch’s machinations. Jack hesitated for a second, then twirled it, offering the long straight handle to Bunny, who took it gingerly. 

“You’re like your staff.” Bunny explained, holding the staff as lightly as he could. “The wood was once a living, growing organism. But then it was cut off, and doesn’t grow anymore.”

“Like I died, and haven’t aged since.” Jack nodded, looking like he wasn’t quite sure how to stand upright without his staff in his hands.

“Precisely.” Bunny nodded. “And the core is-?”

“Ice.” 

“Winter.” Close enough. “Winter is the season for sleeping, resting. Your frost puts the trees and the earth ta sleep in the Autumn, then I wake them up in the Spring.”

“Fascinating.” Jack drawled sarcastically, clearly starting to lose patience with his staff not being in his hands. “And your point is?”

“Your senses, much like the wood of your staff, are taking a kip.” Bunny gave a little nudge, and flowers and vines sprouted in a colourful riot from the wood on either side of his paw. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’ve got Winter deep in yer bones, so your body’s just a little slow from the sleeping.” 

Whereas Bunny was generally constantly full of energy and vitality, because Spring was about rebirth and new life. 

He offered the staff back to Jack, who took it with a sullen look, the flowers and vines fading back to dead wood. “I am not _slow_.” He grumbled. 

“Well, parts of ya are.” Bunny grinned. 

Jack wrinkled his nose, mock-snarling in response before turning contemplative. “Can you do anything to change it? I mean, I’m kind of used to it, so it’s not a big deal if I just stay this way, but…” He trailed off helplessly, giving Bunny a hopeful shrug. 

Bunny thought it over, his heart beating loudly in his chest. “Reckon...” He said slowly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. 

He could do it, it was just a bit of energy manipulation. But it was an intimate thing, mixing his energy with some else’s. It wasn't something he could do lightly, no matter how compatible they were.

“I can prolly nudge them awake a bit.” He said, the words falling out of his mouth before he had made a conscious decision watching the flicker of hope roll across Jack’s face, almost tasting the nectar sweet air of it on his tongue. “Might hurt, wakin’ up isn’t always easy. And I’d wanna do them one at a time, it’s gonna be a lot of new input suddenly happening, we’d want to give ya time to adjust to each sense, fine tune things if we need to.” 

The last thing he’d want to do was overwhelm Jack with each sense. Unexpected colour and scents could be distracting at the wrong time. The sudden ability to feel pain with sharp clarity. This was going to take some massive adjustment on Jack’s part. 

And in the meantime, waking each sense meant another visit with Jack. More time spent in Jack’s company, more opportunity to slip up and act the fool. 

Double edged sword.

“When can we start?!” Jack asked, jumping in with both feet as he did with everything else. 

Bunny thought it over. Figuring out how much energy it would take to wake up the various senses without disturbing Jack’s slumbering core shouldn’t be too difficult, but he’d want to do a bit of practise first. 

But this would be the first time Jack experienced his senses this way. The first time to see colour, to taste, to smell. And that was special, that _deserved_ to be special, and that required some thought. 

“Which sense do you want first?” He asked, looking at Jack, who was nearly vibrating with barely restrained excitement. 

The question took Jack by surprise and he jumped slightly, then settled down, his brows coming down as he mulled it over. Bunny let him think, silently pleased that the Guardian of Fun and Joy was taking the moment to strategize. 

Fun wasn’t always impulsive thought and action. According to North, Jack was solidly working his way through the chess players in the Pole, something that hadn't surprised Bunny at all. Snowball fights had the element of battlefield strategies. Jack’s plan of retreat to gain reinforcements when going up against Pitch had been a risky gamble, one that fortunately paid off. 

“Sight.” Jack said resolutely, looking at Bunny with a serious expression. “Then Hearing. Scent, Touch, and Taste last.”

Bunny rolled Jack choices around in his head. Sight and hearing he could understand, humans were very sight oriented, but the third choice… “Scent third, not touch?” 

Jack shrugged a shoulder, idly rolling his staff between his hands. “Hunting.” He said simply. “I’ve lived wild for almost as long as I can remember, and most animals use their nose to find food and avoid predators.” 

“Gotcha.” He forgot, that for all that Jack was human, he was a little on the feral side. Probably one of the reasons Jack got along so well with North, who had been raised by wild creatures before he’d fallen in with Cossacks and became a swordsman. 

Bunny, for all that he looked the most like a beast, probably had the most formal and civilised upbringing out of all of them. 

“Alright.” Bunny sighed. “Gimme a fortnight and I'll see what I can whip up.”

“Thanks, Bunny!” Jack said, leaping forward and wrapping his arms around Bunny’s neck. Bunny froze for a moment, surprised by the sudden contact, then gingerly rested one paw between Jack’s shoulder blades. His muzzle was pressed against Jack’s shoulder, where he could breathe in the clean, sharp scent of frost, and the honey sweet scent of hope that Jack carried with him. 

Jack suddenly tensed in his grip. “Oh.” He pulled back and Bunny bit back a whine at the loss of contact. “Sorry.” Jack said, eyes locked on the grass at Bunny’s side, lips pressing together in an unhappy line. “Forgot you don’t like to be touched.”

“I don’t mind.” Bunny corrected. “Just prefer a little warnin’, is all.” Sandy he didn’t have to worry about too much, but Tooth was spontaneous with her touches, and North figured it was his job to manhandle everyone in the direction he chose. Which Bunny detested and protested. Loudly.

And since Jack usually only saw Bunny with North around as a buffer, his assumption made complete sense. 

Jack laughed, eyes sparkling happily and Bunny curled his fingers together, resisting the impulse to pull Jack into another hug. “Starting to wonder if I know you at all, Bun-bun.” Jack confided, leaning in closer with a smile that Bunny might have called flirtatious on anyone else. “You don’t hate me, you don’t mind hugs, what else are you hiding?” 

Bunny smiled, a sardonic twist to his lips. “Not much ta know.” He quipped. Just a grumpy ole Bunny. He gestured up towards the ceiling. “Reckon ya should tell North the good news, yeah? You know how the big lug worries.”

“I…” Jack looked like he wanted to protest, then let out a small sigh, shoulders slumping. “Yeah.” He mumbled looking down at the ground again, the bright scent of hope that had been growing increasingly stronger suddenly souring. “Guess I know where the tunnels are, huh?”

It sounded a lot like a mocking ‘don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out’, when Jack rephrased it like that.

Words stuck in Bunny’s throat, and he nodded, torn between the conflicting urges to invite Jack to stay longer, and panicking at the thought of what might slip if Jack did.

This was why it was better to stay away. Where his stupid emotions wouldn't ruin him. 

“See ya in a few weeks.” Bunny managed to get out, a summoning a faint lopsided grin. Jack smiled back, but it was as faded as Bunny’s own. 

“See ya then.” Jack promised, then leaped into the air, the wind carrying off to the main cavern and the tunnels back to the Arctic. 

Bunny waited until he was sure he was alone again, before digging his claws into the rich soil of the Warren, flowers and vines climbing up his arms and over his shoulders, a parody of an embrace. A flock of eggs gathered around him, pressing against his lower limbs, forming a defensive barricade around him. 

He focused on his breathing, wondering what the heck he was doing.

* * *

“Oi, Tooth?” Bunny called as he leapt up through the towers of Punjam Hy Loo. The Fairies swirled around him, chirping greetings and directions as grew farther away from the earth. A few zoomed close to glimpse at his teeth, which were sharp and clean, thank you very much. 

He’d learned the hard way that oral hygiene was a must when one was visiting the Tooth Fairy. 

“Bunny!” Tooth’s delighted voice rang out as he reached the top of the spires. He did a flip up to the top platform that was her command station, the hoards of fairies making way for him to land safely. 

Just because they weren’t dating anymore didn’t mean he couldn’t show off a just a _little_. 

She gave him an amused look, like she could read his mind and he chuckled in response. “Sorry for droppin’ by unannounced-”

“Don’t be silly.” Tooth grinned, waving it off. “You’re always welcome here. Front incisor, Walkankick Lane, Maryland.” 

“Ta.” Bunny tilted his head as one of the fairies darted off. 

“But I am assuming it’s some sort of business that brings you by.” She winked at him. “Puddin’ Ridge Road, North Carolina. Watch out for the mud, it’s how the street got the name.” 

“Kinda.” Bunny admitted. “It’s about Jack-” 

Tooth let out a gleeful gasp and the next thing he knew, he had his arms full of a vibrating Toothiana. “You finally asked him out?!” 

“What?” He yelped, then cleared his throat. “No! And… _What_?” 

“Tumbledown Dick.” Tooth said seriously, then glanced up her fairies. “Oxfordshire. Rear bicuspid.” 

“ _Tooth_.” Bunny growled. 

“What?” She pulled back with a shrug, her hands on his shoulders. “I’m happy for you, I think you’d be good for each other.” 

“I... “ He sighed and shook his head. “No, Tooth. I’m not gonna ask him out.”

“Bunny-” Tooth gave him a concerned look, then annoyance flickered across her face. “Blueball Ave, Pennsylvania. Left molar.” 

“You’re doin’ that on purpose.” He deadpanned. 

“Believe me, I wish I was.” She muttered, wings flapping in irritation, causing her to rise out of his grasp. “But seriously, I’ve _seen_ the way you look at him. It’s like how you looked at me, before.” Tooth said, just a touch of sorrow on her face.

He shook his head, taking her tiny hands in his. “I’m content with how things are now.” He had his holiday, his Warren, and his googies. It was enough. He didn't need anything else to do his duty.

“Content isn’t _happy_.” Tooth corrected, drifting back down to press her forehead against his. He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of the wind on her feathers. 

“He watches you too, you know.” She whispered, as if offering a secret. “Whenever you’re in the room, his eyes follow you.” 

A pained noise escaped from the back of his throat and he shook his head, pulling away. “I can’t.” He said, silently pleading with her to drop it. 

He couldn’t… He couldn’t think like that. Foster the hope that there was any chance, the possibility Jack was interested in him. There was no chance of that, none. 

Tooth sighed and nodded. “Farfrompoopen.” She said, waving a hand in the air. “Arkansas. Left front tooth.” 

A fairy buzzed off. 

“So if it’s not that, what brings you by?” She asked again, hugging her arms around her ribcage. 

“North tell ya about Jack’s senses not workin’ quite right?” Bunny inquired, and Tooth nodded. He wasn’t surprised, she and North had a currently standing date once a week for tea and flirting. “I think I can fix it, but it’s gonna be overwhelming for a bit. Was hoping to borrow a couple of your girls to keep an eye on him until he adjusts to seein’ in colour.” 

“You’re not going to watch over him?” Tooth frowned, her expression sharp. “Crooked Lane, North Dakota. Two cuspids.” 

“I can’t fly.” Bunny pointed out. And he wasn’t about to restrict Jack to where only Bunny could follow. Not when there was a whole planet full of sky to explore.

“Oh.” Her expression cleared. “Point. Yeah, I’ll ask for volunteers.” 

A huge deafening cry went up from the background, every single fairy within earshot volunteering. 

“Lottery.” Tooth firmly corrected herself. “We’ll draw numbers.” 

Bunny chuckled. “I”ll leave it in your capable hands.” He said, giving her a small bow, then leaping off the platform, and down towards the earth and the familiar solitude of the Warren before she could try to talk him into something foolish. Like asking Jack out on an actual date.

He’d probably pay for it with a lecture at their next meeting, but for now, he welcomed the respite.

* * *

“Do you trust me?” Bunny asked as they reached the edge of the tunnel. 

He got a dry look back. “I’m pretty sure we’re beyond that question.” Jack deadpanned. “It’s not just anyone I let play around with my senses.”

“Right.” He cleared his throat, trying to hide the flush of pleasure Jack’s words brought. “Fair dinkum. In that case, close your eyes. It’s an easy slope up, I’ll lead ya out.” 

“Alright.” Jack said, closing his eyes, his head tilted to the side, as if he could try to find his way by hearing. 

Bunny huffed. He opened the end of the tunnel, the ground sloping up in a gentle gradient, instead of his usual vertical hole. “Here we go.” He said quietly, taking Jack’s free hand and tugging gently. Jack followed, wrapping his fingers around Bunny’s paw in a surprisingly strong grip that made Bunny feel giddy. 

He kind of wanted to leap in circles around Jack, showing off…. No. He stopped that line of thought. 

Jack was probably just as nervous about this as Bunny was. If not more so, it was his eyes after all, his worldview that was about to change. 

“Alright, one last step and we’re out.” He said quietly, leading Jack up onto the large boulders that capped the hill. The cool dry desert air wrapped around them, and Jack turned his head this way and that, trying to figure out where he was. 

“Alright?” Bunny asked as the tunnel closed up behind them. 

“Yeah. I’m good.” Jack nodded, tapping his staff on the rock. Apparently satisfied that he was on stable ground, he tilted his face up, towards Bunny. “I’m ready.”

“Okay.” Bunny said, releasing Jack’s hand. He hesitated a moment, then cupped Jack’s cheeks in his paws, holding Jack’s head steady as he leaned forward, lips almost brushing against Jack’s eyelids. Jack startled, then stilled as Bunny whispered a short blessing for healing in Pookan, ending it with a brush of his lips to first the right eye, then the left. 

He usually channelled such energy through his hands or feet, like with his plants or tunnels, but this was such a small delicate area… He felt better doing it this way, the old way with the spoken words. 

He could feel their energies mingle, Jack’s tremble for a moment, uncertain at the new pattern Bunny was shifting it into. Then it seemed to sprout, burst forth and blossom, growing into the small pathways he'd just opened. 

“Alright.” Bunny said quietly, brushing Jack’s hair out of his face so it wouldn’t interfere with his sight, then releasing him. “Tilt your head up, straight up, open your eyes, and tell me what ya see.” He instructed, stepping to the side, then slightly behind Jack, in case he fell. 

Jack did, the softening rays of the setting sun catching on his hair and turning it a molten gold. Jack took a deep breath, and let it out, slowly eyelids slowly flickering open as he adjusted to the light. 

Then Jack’s eyes went wide, his mouth falling open as he stared up at the topaz blue sky. “I... “ Jack swallowed, eyes transfixed on the sky above him. “Is that… _Blue_?” He breathed, like he was afraid his voice would break the spell. 

“Yup.” Bunny agreed, leaning against a rock, his teeth grinding together in a pleased rumble. 

Jack let out a small gasp, like he wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry. “So that’s what blue looks like...” He marvelled. 

“That’s what one shade looks like.” Bunny corrected. “Look around at the edges, it’ll be slightly different. Just don’t look directly at the sun.” 

Jack let the possible slight at his intelligence slide, turning his head this way and that, catching the darkening shades to the east, the pale blue that was nearly a white to the west, where the sun was slowly sinking behind a mountain range. The sky was nearly cloudless, except for a large patch of sweeping clouds to the south.

Jack looked down, staring at his hands, plucking at the sleeves of his jumper, looking at how the frost changed colour in the light, sparkling this way and that. “This is blue too.” He marvelled. “My staff… my pants?” 

“Brown.” Bunny offered, and Jack turned to peer at him. 

“You didn’t change.” Jack accused. “I thought you'd be… I don't know. More colourful.”

Bunny chuckled. “Nope. Old grey hare, that’s me.” 

He wasn't expecting Jack to suddenly be in his face, Jack’s hands on Bunny’s cheeks, nudging Bunny’s head first one way, then the other. “What colour are your _eyes?!_ ” Jack demanded, tone awestruck. 

Bunny swallowed, taken back by Jack’s enraptured expression. “Green.” He said quietly, his heart pounding fast in his chest. “Green, like me Warren.” 

“I think I _like_ green.” Jack confided, something dreamy in his tone that made Bunny’s spine tingle.

“I’ll show you me Warren again later, and you’ll get thoroughly sick of the colour.” Bunny said, trying to sound lighthearted, and not all like he was panicking. He closed his eyes for a second, taking a quick breath, trying to get his pulse back under control. When he looked again, Jack was still studying his face intently, looking slightly concerned. 

Bunny swallowed, reaching up and patted Jack’s hand on his cheek. “If you turn around though, you’ll see the reason why I chose this place.” He said, his tone thankfully under control, and mild. 

Jack took the hint and turned, letting out a small gasp of surprise. The clouds that had been silver moments before had taken on a distinctly peach hue, with a golden beam of light splitting them down the middle.

“What?” Jack breathed, letting Bunny go as he stepped towards the light. 

Bunny grinned, hopping up on one of the boulders around them, getting a better view. “It’s the funny thing about deserts, there ain’t generally much bright colour on the ground. But the _sunsets_ , oh, the sunsets, especially just after a rain…” 

He gestured around them, where the sky to the east was turning lavender and pink. 

“It’s like it celebrates by puttin’ all the vibrant colours in the sky.” 

Jack climbed up on the boulder next to him, constantly turning in small circles as he tried to take in everything, each colour, each shift in shade or hue, each little surprise. 

Bunny smiled and gave names to the colours, the deepening royal blue of the western sky with the band of burnt orange changing to red along the edge. The magenta of the clouds, the purples to the south and east, the silver of the stars coming out to sparkle at them. The almost blood red of the rocks they were sitting on, as they were bathed by the fading light. 

Flutterings of wings and faint clicks caught his ear, and he directed Jack to look up, where bats were swarming up into the sky, looking for that night’s dinner of nectar or insects. The bats darted to and fro, as if they were dancing to a tune that they could hear, waving their winged hands. 

As the sky in the west started to fade to navy and black, Bunny instructed Jack to turn around, and the silver moon peeking out from behind mountains, set against the deep purple eastern sky. 

“Oh…” Jack breathed. “Hey, Manny.” 

The Moon, not quite full, seemed to sparkle back, continuing his path up into the night sky, turning the earth a light silver wherever the moonbeams touched. 

Jack watched in silence, the look of wonder on his face shifting as constantly as the sky. Bunny watched him, soaking up the quiet and the company. His fingers itched for his paper and pastels, wanting to get Jack’s expressions down on paper. 

Finally the colours from the sun faded completely, leaving the night illuminated in stark silver and black. 

“That was….” Jack didn’t so much sit down as collapse next to Bunny, his limbs sprawling out every which way. “I don’t have the words.” He said with a small chuckle. 

Bunny hummed happily. “You seein’ everything okay?” He asked. “Ya might find your night vision isn’t as good because you’re not seeing in grey-scale anymore.”

“It’s fine.” Jack said said. “Even if I don’t see as well at night, it’s worth the trade off. I mean…” He gestured in the air, then let his hand drop with a shake of his head. “Colours. Wow. I thought you and North were crazy when you talked about them, but... Yeah.”

“Eh, might be a little crazy.” Bunny teased, shrugging a shoulder. 

Jack laughed, then his expression turned serious, leaning closer. “Bunny… I…” He said hesitantly, then licked his lips, looking at Bunny with those bright blue eyes from under his lashes. 

Bunny stared back, limbs frozen as his heart suddenly kicked up a notch as the moment seemed to stretch, the air heavy with anticipation. What was Jack going to… 

A hoard of excited chirps and squeaks interrupted, a gaggle of Tooth’s fairies swarming around them. Jack pulled away, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face before he greeted the girls with a broad smile.

Bunny let out a small sigh, leaning back, resting one hand on his chest, where he could feel his heart beating rapidly. For a second there he’d almost thought-

No, that was just silly. 

“What are you doing here?” Jack asked the girls, drawing Bunny’s attention out of his thoughts. “Not that I’m unhappy to see you but-”

“I asked if they’d be willin’ ta help you adjust to yer new vision.” Bunny explained, rising to his feet, and idly brushing off his legs. Although there were certainly more of them there than he had thought there would be. 

Jack shot Bunny a look he didn’t quite comprehend. Before Bunny could ask, the fairies swarmed around Bunny to check up on him, before flying back to Jack and tugging on his clothing, lifting him up into the sky. 

Well, worst scenario, there were certainly enough of them to carry Jack to safety.

“I’d recommend hanging out at Tooth’s place to kip, her castle is colourful, but the colours won’t change as much as the chaos of the Pole.” Bunny instructed. “Once you can deal with the Workshop fer more than a day, lemme know and we’ll get your hearing up and workin’ proper.” 

“I…” Jack’s mouth moved for a minute, half-forming words, and then he sighed, tugging his arms free of the fairies and drifting down towards Bunny. Jack licked his lips, an oddly intent look on his face, and Bunny froze again, wondering if maybe he hadn’t imagined it earlier. 

And then Jack was jerked upwards, the girls shouting at him to follow them. Jack sighed, his expression turning resigned. “Thanks, Bunny.” He murmured, reaching down, and trailing one hand along the curve of Bunny’s long ear.

Bunny shivered at the gentle touch, only slightly cooler than the night air. “Welcome.” He whispered back, staring as the girls pulled Jack up into the sky, their small figures quickly disappearing into the distance. 

He sat heavily down as soon as they were gone, staring down at the earth below him. There was no way…. It had to be his own wishful thinking. 

He sighed, staring up at Manny, floating up high above them. 

“He wasn’t going to kiss me.” He asked plaintively. “... Was he?” 

Manny, for all his wisdom, did not answer him.

* * *

“Should I close my eyes?” Jack asked with a mischievous smirk as they reached the end of the tunnel. 

It’d been over a month since Bunny had restored Jack’s colour vision, Jack saying he was fine, and Phil quietly sending Bunny letters that the flickering lights of the Workshop gave the Guardian of Joy migraines. 

Bunny had been grateful for the letters, less so about the method of delivery. The blasted Elves that Phil sent as the messengers kept making a mess by swimming in the Colour River and attempting to steal his googies. But it meant that he had been hesitant to move on to the next sense until Jack no longer had headaches. 

Something that Jack had reluctantly agreed to, once he and Bunny had talked it over. Other than that, Jack had adapted to his new vision with a speed and enthusiasm that made Bunny feel strangely proud. 

He hoped that the rest of Jack’s senses went as well. 

Bunny hesitated, tilting his head to the side. “I hadn’t planned on making the location a surprise, but if you’d prefer-?”

Jack closed his eyes, holding both hands out, including the one with the staff. “I liked your last surprise.” He said, lips curled into a small smile. 

“Oh.” Bunny ducked his head, a flush of pleasure running through him. “Ta.” 

It was a moment’s work to change the tunnel to a slope, then he took Jack’s hands in his. The hand wrapped around the staff was colder than the one not, a flicker of frost dancing across Bunny’s fur before dissipating, Jack making a conscious effort not to accidentally freeze him. Bunny made a happy rumble in the back of his throat, murmuring softly as he escorted Jack out of the tunnel and into the light. 

“It’s cold.” Jack said, turning his head back and forth, as if he could discern their position without sight. He paused as their feet touched the layer of snow on the ground, Bunny’s feet falling through it, Jack walking on the top of it. Jack wiggled his toes in the snow, which wasn’t more than a few inches deep, then gave Bunny a push to continue.

The North Wind howled greetings around them, and Bunny shot it a glare. “Don’t you go telling him where we are yet.” He scolded, and the wind died down, much to Jack’s amusement.

“Didn’t think anyone else talked to the Wind.” Jack commented as Bunny lead him to the centre of the small clearing he’d chosen. Snow drifted down, dusting both of them in white flakes that clung to the edges of their fur and clothing. 

“Don’t usually got much to say to them.” Bunny shrugged. “They’re good fer the trees and dispersing pollen, but I’ve got no interest in flyin’, so they’ve got little interest in me.” 

“True.” Jack said, the Wind curving around them, playfully ruffling Bunny’s fur and Jack’s hair. “I wonder if this is going to change how I hear the Wind.”

“Don’t rightly know.” Bunny admitted, giving Jack’s hands a reassuring squeeze. “Reckon it’s gonna be a bit like after a swim, suddenly not having water in your ears.” 

Jack’s lips moved for a second, before his expression cleared. “Oh! That pop and suddenly everything is buzzing and loud?”

“Got it in one.” Bunny agreed. 

Jack got a rueful look on his face. “Yeeaah... I don’t go swimming very often.” He said drily. 

A second later, Bunny got it. “Understandable.” He didn’t know what memories Jack had gotten back with Tooth’s help, but Bunny hoped the last moments of his mortal life weren’t part of them. That they were of him falling unconscious, not the sharp ache and panic of struggling to breathe the frozen lake water. “Not terribly fond of gettin’ wet me self.” 

Especially not with his ears. Fur took forever to dry too. 

“Then we’ve got that in common.” Jack smiled, looking like a cat in the cream, the way the corners of his still closed eyes crinkled. 

“I…” Bunny huffed, amused. “Guess we do. Ready to have a go at your hearing?” 

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Jack nodded, standing up straighter. 

It took Bunny a moment to realise that they’d had the entire conversation while holding hands, and caught himself on a happy teeth grind. He ducked his head, grateful that Jack had his eyes closed and couldn’t see his expression. 

“Just don’t hit me with yer stick.” Bunny instructed, releasing Jack’s hands, moving over to the smaller Guardian’s side and leaning down so his lips were at the tiny pink shell of Jack’s ear. 

Jack laughed. “No promises.” He said warmly, twitching slightly at Bunny’s whiskers brushed his face. 

Bunny hummed, then whispered in Pookan, barely touching his lips to Jack’s ear. Jack startled slightly, then shook his head a little, wobbling like his balance had suddenly been disturbed. 

“Keep going.” Jack said before Bunny could ask if he was alright. “It’s fine, just a little odd.”

Bunny squeezed Jack’s shoulder in acknowledgement before moving to Jack’s other side, mouthing the words before brushing his lips against Jack’s ear again. Jack shivered, then shook his head, jaw opening and closing a few times, as if to try to pop his ears. 

“Okay, that’s really odd.” Jack muttered, opening his eyes without prompting. He brought a hand up to his other ear, rubbing it. Bunny waited as Jack shook his head a few more times, then seemed to even out, looking around the area in confusion. 

“I don’t get it.” He said, his voice louder than normal. Jack paused with an odd expression on his face as he touched his throat. “Has my voice always been that deep?!” He demanded.

Bunny smirked and nodded. 

Jack looked confused, but shrugged a shoulder, taking Bunny at his word. “Okay, then.” He said, making a slightly disturbed face at the sound of his own voice in his head. “So what are you showing me here?” He asked, looking around. 

Bunny grinned and held a finger up to lips, signalling for silence. He didn’t want the first thing Jack heard to be Bunny’s voice, which it surely would be if Jack kept asking questions. 

Jack tilted his head to the side, expression a mix of impatience and confusion as he did as he was bid. 

Silence seemed to fill the clearing, even the Wind falling away, leaving only the quiet hiss of snow as it landed on the ground. Jack’s eyes went wide as he stared at the snow, holding a hand out for it to land on. 

“Snow.” He murmured, bringing his hand up to stare at the flakes. “I didn’t… I thought it was silent.” 

Bunny smiled, taking a purposeful step on the ground, the snow crunching under his toes. Jack stared down at Bunny’s foot, then mimicked him, putting weight down on his foot until the snow compressed under his slight weight. “Huh.” 

The North Wind rustled gently through the trees, sending more flurries of snow their way, and Jack turned to face it, abruptly tilting to the side, and then sitting down. 

“Jack?” Bunny asked, moving closer in case Jack needed assistance. 

“I’m fine!” Jack yelped, waving a hand. “Just got a little dizzy is all.” 

Bunny huffed and offered his paw, which Jack took. “I can turn it down a bit if it’s givin’ ya vertigo.” He offered quietly. “Fergot that hearin’ is linked ta balance.” 

He hesitated as Jack stared at him, wide eyed. “Wot?” Bunny asked, feeling self-conscious. 

“Nothing. Your voice is just a little… Different. Richer.” Jack said, holding onto Bunny’s hand and making no effort to stand back up. “It’s good. You’ve got a nice voice.”

Bunny ducked his head in pleasure. “Ta. So do you.” It was surprisingly deep for Jack’s slight frame, but suited him well. 

Jack beamed back at him, the moment stretching. 

“I…” Jack gave Bunny’s hand a light squeeze. “I think I'm going to sit here for a minute or two, get my equilibrium back.” He said, a regretful tone in his voice. 

“Sounds good.” Bunny agreed. Whatever Jack needed. “However, if it’s all the same to you, I am not gonna freeze my tail off in the snow.” 

Jack nodded, his expression falling slightly as he let Bunny’s hand go. Bunny inclined his head, then hopped over to the roots of a tree where he’d left supplies. He grabbed one of the grey woven blankets on top and tossed it over his head, wrapping it around his shoulders like a hooded cape. 

He didn’t mind a little chill, but even he had his limits. 

He bypassed the next blanket, grabbing the one underneath, which was almost a pure white, with just a touch of silver in the woven strands. He shook it out, then grabbed one of the thermoses, and walked back over to Jack, and draped the material over the Guardian of Joy's head. Jack tugged on it, pulling it back so he could peer out from under the edge of the blanket, his eyes very blue against the silver.

“Don’t reckon ya get chilled much.” Bunny drawled, keeping his voice low and quiet. “But it’s always nice ta wrap up in a warm blanket on a cold day.” 

Jack’s grin was bright as he rearranged the blanket around him, pulling it closer. “Thanks.” 

“No worries.” Bunny smiled back, then handed Jack the thermos. “Nice beverage helps too.”

Jack made a hesitant noise as he took it. “I still can’t really taste anything-?” He offered, slowly opening the lid and peering in. 

“I know.” Bunny smirked as he walked back to where he’d left the supplies. He picked up the remaining thermos and blanket, then sat down on the canvas they'd been resting on, arranging the other blanket over his legs and tucking it in, so the cold couldn’t seep through. 

“Oh, my gosh.” Jack made a blissful sound. “I can actually _taste_ this. Some sort of apple cider?”

“Spicy apple cider.” Bunny smiled. “Don’t tell Tooth, there’s enough sugar to rot your teeth, and spice to melt your face.” He’d added sugar to the boiling cider until it couldn’t dissolve any more, and then added spices until his eyes watered, and figured it’d be about right. 

“It’s _amazing_.” Jack said, scooting around so he could face Bunny, clutching the thermos to his chest like he was afraid someone was going to take it away from him. 

“Wait until we get your tastebuds up and running.” Bunny’s smile grew wider. “I’ll hafta introduce you to my choccy.” 

He didn’t make them much anymore, it didn’t make sense to produce them in the scale that his googies required, but to introduce Jack to what chocolate was supposed to taste like? He’d make an exception. 

“If it’s anything like this, you’ll have to roll me out of the Warren to get rid of me.” Jack promised, taking another sip out of the thermos. He made a noise deep in his throat that made Bunny feel overly warm, and he subtly adjusted the blanket over his lap, silently grateful for their unintentional cover. 

The Wind whispered around them, teasing the edges of the blankets, Jack lifting his face to the wind, the glow of quiet joy surrounding him. 

… He really was beautiful. 

Bunny glanced up at the sky, wondering where Sandy was. He’d arranged for Sandy to be there to help with Jack’s hearing, as not only was Sandy the quietest of the group, but he could use his sand to block noise from Jack’s ears in case of an emergency. 

“I can hear the Wind better.” Jack said, his voice awestruck. “I always kind of could but….” He trailed off, struggling for words. 

“Now there’s more?” Bunny offered. 

Jack hummed in agreement, reaching up to trail his fingers through the Wind as it moved around him.

Bunny asked what the Wind was was telling Jack, for he could not hear the element nearly as well as Jack appeared to. Questions turned into conversations, soft questions back and forth, talking about this and that. 

He hadn’t really ever talked with Jack, just little things, learning about each other. It was as tentative and beautiful as watching a seed sprout and grow, slowly revealing hidden petals and secrets. 

That Jack’s recovered memories were in colour, but he had trouble remembering overall colours, because he was too busy focusing on the shape of his sister’s smile, the strength of her hand as she tugged him along. 

Jack loved sunlight, so much so that before he became a Guardian and had a place he could hang out, he’d travel around the world to remain in the light. Part of it was because daylight was when kids were usually out and playing, but also because he liked to imagine sunlight was what it felt like to be warm. 

That Jack had to be careful with his emotions. He was generally a happy person, but if he got sad or angry, the weather would change to match his mood, accidentally summoning snowfall or storms. 

They talked a little about the Blizzard of ‘68, and Bunny admitted he didn’t have any lingering animosity over it. He hadn’t known Jack then, hadn’t known that Jack wouldn’t do something like that on purpose.

The look on Jack’s face made him wish he’d told Jack sooner. 

He talked a little about his past too, about growing up surrounded by Pooka in the Golden Age. It was hard to talk about, partly because it was like poking an ache that never completely healed, and partly because he was starting to forget after several hundred epochs. 

Not entirely, but he’d forgotten the colour of his dam’s eyes, even if he remembered her scent. The warm comfortable press of his siblings, the bustle of the cities, the seemingly endless song of the stars… 

It was better to listen to Jack than to dwell on things that were no longer were and would never be again. 

He didn’t realise how much time had passed in easy companionship until he noticed that the sun was setting, and still no sign of Sandy. Which if Sandy wasn’t going to make it, he should probably get Jack somewhere quiet. 

“How’s yer head?” He asked, setting the long empty thermos off to the side. 

“Better.” Jack said, holding a hand up, and Bunny automatically stood up to help. The snow was a bit of a shock to his feet after having been bundled up nice and toasty, and he melted holes in the ground his first couple of steps, flowers springing up beneath his feet. 

Jack laughed, looking delighted, and Bunny shook his head, pulling his power back away from the earth. The cold was merely uncomfortable, not debilitating. “Hate it when I do that.” He confessed. “Poor things won’t make it til Spring when they can grow proper.”

“You big softy.” Jack grinned fondly at him and Bunny ducked his head, faintly embarrassed. He took Jack’s outstretched hand without comment, pulling him upright. 

Except it didn’t go quite as planned, and Jack pitched forward, face planting into Bunny’s ruff, then backed off with a laughing apology. “Shall we dance?” He offered with a cheeky grin, frost blossoming across his cheeks. 

“Dance-?” Bunny echoed, ears twitching in surprise. 

“Don’t you know how to dance?” Jack inquired, leaning closer as his warm blue eyes sparkled with muted mischief.

Of course he did, but like a Pooka, not a human. It was a display, an exhibition of physical prowess, agility, and strength. If the recipient was willing, they danced back, showing off their own skill. 

Although, to the untrained eye, it looked a lot like running around in circles, acrobatic flips, jumping off of random objects as if the participants were on a sugar high. But to be asked to _dance_...

Bunny opened his mouth, trying to think of how to respond, only to be distracted by a whisper of sand. Jack turned his face to the sky with a look on his face that Bunny couldn't seem to translate, the merriment that had been there fading away.

“Sandman.” Jack deadpanned as the first tendrils of golden dreamsand wrapped around them. 

“Best person I can think of ta help when it comes to hearing.” Bunny commented, trying not to feel disappointed at the interruption, even if it’d saved him from answering. He casually let Jack’s hand go, fingertips itching at the loss of contact. “Only one who won’t blow out your eardrums for sure.”

Jack shifted his weight so that his staff was holding him upright. “Logical.” He said, but there was something disappointed in his tone. 

Sandy crested the top of the trees above them, waving with an apologetic grimace on his face. Symbols flashed above his head, he’d been tied up with a series of Nightmares, just small ones, not Pitch-based and-

“It’s alright, Sandy.” Bunny cut him off. “Thanks for coming.” 

Sandy nodded, appearing pleased to have been asked. 

Jack stepped forward, keeping weight on his staff. “Guess I’m riding with you.” He quipped and Sandy beamed at him, dropping the cloud to about waist high before scooting over and gleefully patting the cloud next to him. Jack laughed, hopping up into the air, then wobbled and quickly landed again, with a confused, nearly nauseous look on his face. Bunny put a hand on Jack’s back, helping to steady him. 

“He’s having a little bit of a balance issue.” Bunny informed Sandy, who's concerned expression shifted to one of understanding. 

“I’m fine!” Jack protested as the dreamsand shifted, forming a gently curving staircase for Jack to walk up. Jack sighed, then took the stairs up, Bunny’s hand on his back until it was clear he didn’t need the assistance. “Thanks.” Jack muttered, just a tad sulking as he sat down on the cloud. 

“Know it’s against your code, oh Master of Fun, but better safe than sorry.” Bunny quipped, and then chuckled as Jack stuck his tongue out at him. Jack paused, then reached up to unwrap the blanket from around him. 

“Nah.” Bunny waved it off. “Keep it. I’ve got others.” It looked good on Jack, and he liked that something of his was protecting Jack, even if it was something as ridiculous as the cold. 

Jack beamed brightly at him, wrapping the blanket tighter around him, the glow of the dreamsand making it look like liquid light. “Thanks, Bunny!” 

Sandy gave him a little wave, then the cloud of dreamsand and its two occupants rose into the warm hues of the sunset. Bunny watched them go with a wistful feeling. 

That… Hadn’t been as bad as he expected. Quite the opposite, really. Talking together as if they were friends. 

He shook his head, dismissing the thought. Jack was just grateful for his senses, that was all. No excuse to read more into it than was there. That was the only reason for them to be spending time together, once all five senses were woken back up, they’d go their separate ways again and these visits would stop. 

But still. He covered his face in a hand, making a low moan of embarrassment before going and picking up the supplies he’d brought with him.

 _Dancing?!_ Really?!

* * *

”It’s Christmas Eve.” Jack said as they ran down the rabbit tunnels to their destination. “So does that mean that a sense of smell is my Christmas gift?”

“Partially.” Bunny admitted. “I do realise that as gifts go, it stinks.”

There was a pause, and Bunny glanced behind him to make sure he hadn’t lost Jack. 

“I can’t tell if I’m annoyed you beat me to the pun, or impressed that you pulled it off before I could.” Jack said, just a tad cross. 

Bunny laughed. He’d been a trickster for a lot longer than Jack had, and he’d seen that one coming a mile away. 

“It’s also ta get ya out of the Workshop to avoid North’s last minute panicking over everything.” Bunny explained. He’d been privy to that a couple of times, and going over the worst case scenarios that North came up with was not a fun evening. 

Phil had requested Bunny take Jack for the evening, as it was one less factor for the yeti to juggle while he got everything set up. It was about time to wake up another sense anyway, it had taken less than a week for Jack regain his sense of balance, and now it didn’t bother him at all.

And at least with smell, unlike sight and hearing, Jack could plug his nose if there was any temporary discomfort. 

“That’s a gift in and of itself.” Jack drawled. “Last year North was panicking over if hordes of penguins attacked. Phil had to distract him while another yeti took a bazooka out of the Sleigh that North had put in there, ‘just in case’.“ 

Yeah, that sounded like North. “Be grateful you missed the Tarantula year.” Bunny smirked, the tunnel starting to curve upwards.

“What? North panicking about Tarantulas?” Jack snarked. 

“Naw, mate. He found one in the Sleigh.” Bunny grinned, all teeth. “They had use to an old retired sleigh that year, and completely build new one for the next.” 

“Oohh.” 

“Don’t understand his reaction, meself.” Bunny shrugged. “They’re just harmless wiggling buggers. Not even venomous to humans.”

Actually, he did kind of understand it, after having been surprised by one or two himself, but it was more fun to play it off as if they didn’t bother him. Although, out of all the Guardians, Tooth was the one who most likely to keep calm about it. 

Come to think of it, she and North had had a bit of a tiff shortly before that Christmas…. 

“Says the ‘Bun from Down Under’.” Jack snickered. “I’m just grateful that I don’t have to deal with them much, spiders don’t like the cold.” 

“Point.” Bunny agreed, slowing to a stop as they reached their destination. 

“I am closing my eyes.” Jack announced firmly as he touched down behind Bunny. Bunny debated arguing, then decided against it. Jack seemed to like the surprise of the location, and who was he to ruin that?

“Alright.” He said, taking Jack’s outstretched hand, trying not to read too much into how well their hands, for all their differences, fit well together. Jack gave him a brilliant smile in return, and Bunny ducked his head. With a tap of his foot, the tunnel opened up, a nice shallow path up. 

“It’s cold.” Bunny warned. “But we’ll only be here for a bit.” 

Jack hummed in response, and Bunny led him up to the surface. Ice, not snow, crunched under their feet, bitterly cold against his paws. A bit of a breeze drifted lazily by, rustling the dusting of snow on the ground.

“Hold on a tic.” Bunny turned them around. “This way, I’m down wind.”

Jack made an amused sound in the back of his throat, but followed Bunny’s lead. 

“What?” Bunny asked, suspicious. 

“Just remembering you with hearing.” Jack smirked. “You were so set on making sure you weren’t the first thing I heard.”

“And we’re doing it again this time too.” Bunny said firmly. “Ya don’t get a chance to experience many firsts, and it should be things that are special to ya.”

Jack frowned. “You’re-” 

“Ready?” Bunny cut off Jack’s protestation. Each of the Guardians were all dear to Jack in their own way. But introducing things that were close to Jack’s core, the wonder and joy in his element… That was something special. 

Jack let out an annoyed huff of air. “Yeah.” He said, tilting his face up to Bunny. 

He would be lying if he said it didn’t give him a small thrill at the display of Jack’s trust. “First time someone else gets to nip at Jack Frost’s nose.” Bunny quipped. 

“Hey!” Jack protested, then settled down with a grumble. “You’d better not bite me, I’ve seen your chompers. You’d take my whole nose right off.”

Bunny ended up laughing his way through the Pookan Blessing. He kissed the tip of Jack’s chilly nose, then pulled back to see Jack’s reaction. 

Which was to laugh, one hand reaching up to touch his nose as he opened his eyes. “I’ve never had so many kisses before.” Jack grinned, delighted. “I think I like kisses.”

“Never…” Bunny faltered. “You’ve never been kissed? Or… Or kissed anyone?” 

“No?” Jack gave him a puzzled look. “There was no one _to_ kiss before I became a Guardian. North kissed me on the cheeks when I took the Oath, but that’s been it until now.” Jack shrugged a shoulder, like it wasn’t a big deal. 

Jack could count the number of times he’d been kissed on one hand and still have a finger left over. Not even proper kisses either.

Bunny felt his stomach drop, feeling like a right cad. It had been good for eyes and ears with their multitude of delicate internal components, but wasn’t necessary for him to bring the remaining senses back. And he had no right to take something that Jack hadn’t offered to anyone at all. 

He was pulled from his self-rumination by an odd look on Jack’s face, like Jack wasn’t sure if he wanted to sneeze or not. 

And then Jack did, lifting up in the air a few feet before plopping back down again without missing a beat. He rubbed the bottom of his nose with the back of his hand. “Is… that… What _is_ that?”

“Sharp, kinda clean?” Bunny asked and Jack nodded. Bunny motioned around them, at the glaciers of Antarctica. “Ice.”

“Ice?” Jack echoed, looking around. His nose twitched, nostrils flaring as he breathed it in. “There’s something else…. What’s that on the wind?” He asked. 

They couldn’t get much of a breeze where they were standing, which is why Bunny had chosen it, to keep that little bit of warmth. Bunny chuckled, pointing to the top of the hill they were standing in the lee of. “Go see.” 

Jack took off, nearly gliding on the air with long jumps that ate up the ground. As he reached the top, Jack jumped high into the air, the Wind catching him, and holding him in place, hovering over the ground. 

It took Bunny a little bit longer to follow, grumbling about the cold, and he hunkered down when he reached the top of the glacier they were on, overlooking the ocean. 

“Salt water.” He said, just loud enough for Jack to hear. There were a couple of other places he could have chosen, but he’d settled on salt water because of the difference in scent from fresh water, not wanting to evoke the memories of Jack drowning at Burgess Lake. 

Bunny stared up at the sky, judging the clouds. “And give it a minute or two, and ya should be able to smell the snow on the wind.” 

Less than a minute, the South Wind shrieking their delight at seeing Jack. Jack’s laughter was bright and joyous as the Wind tossed him up in the air and then back down again like a child with a favourite toy. 

Possibly, to the Winds, he was. 

Bunny watched the Wind play with Jack, curling his arms around him and wishing he’d thought to bring a blanket. The polar icecaps were a bit much for even him to take for more than a brief moment or two.

He shuffled down the hill a little, just enough to get the brunt of the wind off of him without losing sight of Jack, who was a dark spiralling speck against the mixed greys of the frozen sky. 

Then suddenly Jack was back, landing on his feet next to Bunny with a force that seemed like it should have hurt, but Jack didn’t seem to notice, exuberantly raising his hands in the air. “Fish!” Jack joyously exclaimed. “They really do stink!” 

And then he laughed, as if this was the best thing ever. 

Bunny found himself chuckling as well, carried away by Jack’s enthusiasm. It took a moment for the laughter to fade away, and Bunny shivered, feeling the cold again. They really should get back. 

“Are you going to pass me off to North now?” Jack asked, like he was trying to hide how disappointed he was at the idea, but not doing a great job at it. 

“Weeeell…” Bunny drawled, pausing to scratch the underside of his chin. “If you want to, sure. But you’d mentioned somethin’ about wantin’ ta see the Warren in colour-? I reckon good clean earth and flowers weren’t a bad way to test out yer schnoz before you’re forced to smell a Yeti.”

“I… Really?” Jack’s broad grin was practically incandescent. 

“Yeah.” Bunny smiled back. “C’mon.” He opened a tunnel with the tap of his foot, motioning for Jack to follow. 

Jack _crowed_ in delight, diving down into the tunnel with a speed that almost startled Bunny. “Race you there!”

“Hah!” Bunny shouted, leaping after him. He hit the ground and launched himself forward, bouncing off the walls in a ground eating lope. Cheeky arse thought he could beat Bunny at a _race_? Not bloody likely. 

He caught up to Jack, leaping into the air above the flying Guardian, twisting to touch Jack’s shoulder before hitting the other side of the tunnel and leaping ahead. Jack let out a noise that was half laugh, half shout of dismay, then picked up the pace. 

“Nice try!” Bunny grinned, paws barely touching the ground as he raced ahead, darting to the side to dash down a different tunnel. He had millions of miles of tunnels, and he knew where each and every single one of them went. 

And all the best short cuts. 

“Oi!” Jack bellowed, then there was a blast of cold air as a blue projectile blasted by Bunny, frosting the fur on the tips of his ears and tail. 

“Oh, good one.” Bunny praised. “But do y’know where you’re goin?” 

He heard a yelp in the distance as Bunny shot upwards into a different tunnel that took a slightly different, and more direct route to the Warren. He laughed, voice echoing through the tunnels as Jack followed him. 

He beat Jack to the Warren, but it wasn’t by much, barely having enough time to come to a stop before Jack burst out of the side tunnel with a determined look on his face. Bunny relished the glimpse he caught as Jack’s expression changed to surprise and wonder, suddenly coming to a stop in mid-air, wobbling unsteadily.

“This… This is…” Jack stammered, slowly floating downwards until his feet touched the ground. 

“Welcome ta the Warren.” Bunny smirked, walking up next to Jack, glancing around. He was pretty proud of his home, the shapes, textures, and the colours. 

“It’s incredible.” Jack said quietly. “I mean… I thought it was amazing before, but now…” He trailed off, looking around as if he were a starving person who’d just been offered a drink, soaking in the colour. 

“Now ya can see it proper.” Bunny filled in as he crouched down on his hindlegs, a little closer to Jack’s eye level, trying to picture how his home had looked in greyscale. 

Not too bad, he finally decided, even if he preferred his shades of green. If nothing else, there was the sheer scale of his home, the entirety of North’s workshop could fit into one of the Warren’s largest caverns, and still have a little bit of of room left over. 

“Yeah.” Jack agreed, glancing up at him, then doing a double take. “Your eyes really are the colour of the Warren.” Jack grinned at him, delighted. 

“What, ya thought Ol’ Bunny was havin’ you on?” Bunny demanded back, teasing. 

“No, it’s just different seeing it.” Jack’s voice was surprisingly gentle and fond. “I like it.”

Bunny felt his face heat up, unable to figure out if Jack meant Bunny’s eyes or the Warren, or a bit of both. 

Thankfully, Jack didn’t seem to notice, his attention turning to something in the Warren. “What’s that scent?” He asked, head tilted to the side.

“Ah.” Bunny smiled. “Come see.”

Grass. Jack had never smelled grass before, the clean scent when it was torn, or crushed beneath feet, nor the rich almost musky scent of dark fertile soil underneath. Jack held the grass and soil in his hands, burying his face and breathing deeply. “Oh.” Jack sighed, entranced by the scent, and the shades of colours as he turned them this way and that. “What else?”

“Come see.” Bunny grinned, and darted off, Jack following with a laugh. 

With few exceptions, flowers were always out of season for Jack, he never got to experience them. And now he had a working sniffer, and a chance to experience them all for the first time. 

The spicy scent of nasturtiums, the heady scent of wild roses, the cloying fragrance of lilacs, the varying scents of gardenias, and the delicate scent of freesias. Jack darted everywhere, pressed his face against the flowers, almost drunk on the scents and colours he was experiencing for the first time. 

“Wait until we get touch and taste up and workin’ fer ya.” Bunny commented, stroking the fuzzy textured leaf of a lavender plant, scenting his fur. “Lot of these are edible, and there’s lots of different textures.”

Jack looked at him in awe, a daffodil somehow stuck in his hoodie, making it look like he had the flower tucked behind his ear . “I can’t wait.” He said, the sincerity in his voice making something twinge in Bunny’s chest. 

“In the meantime.” Bunny inclined his head. “Come see.”

He raced off, Jack let out a cheer and followed him. The two of them dashed around the Warren, occasionally tapping each other as they passed to draw their attention to one thing or another. Bunny bouncing off the walls and ceilings to get to Jack, Jack doing barrel rolls and loop-de-loops to spiral around Bunny as he laughed and shouted questions. 

It was… Fun. The most fun Bunny had in ages, he could feel his sides ache with all the laughter that seemed to flow out of him like a river. He couldn’t stop, he didn’t _want_ to stop, and Jack’s infectious cheer just spurred it on.

And then he heard a whooshing sound, the vibration in his home that signalled a foreign magic operating in it. Bunny stopped abruptly, ears twitching as he tracked where in the Warren it was coming from. 

-Then nearly fell over as Jack impacted against his back, strong wiry limbs twining around Bunny’s torso. “Ow.”

“Alright?” Bunny asked as Jack didn’t move, the hard line of Jack’s staff pressing uncomfortably against Bunny’s side. 

“Fine.” He could feel Jack rubbing his face against the long fur on his shoulder blades, almost as if he were scent-marking Bunny. “... You smell good.” Jack commented, his voice nearly a throaty purr. “A bit like the Warren.”

Bunny ignored the way his heart thumped oddly at the deep timbre of Jack’s voice. “I’d hope so, since it’s me home and all.”

Jack chuckled, his limbs tightening around Bunny for a second in a hug, before relaxing slightly but not letting go. “Why’d you stop?” Jack asked, wiggling up enough to rest his chin on Bunny’s shoulder, his cheek brushing against Bunny’s own. It was nearly unbearably intimate. 

If Bunny turned his head, he could press his muzzle to Jack’s face, nuzzle the odd smooth skin, groom the silver strands on top of Jack’s head... 

“Portal.” Bunny barely got out, his throat closing up around the words, preventing him from extrapolating. 

“Already?!” Jack practically shouted, body jolting against Bunny's. “What? **No!** It hasn’t been…” He trailed off, the floral sweet scent of hope he carried souring uncertainly. “... Has it?”

“Yup.” Bunny didn’t need to look at the a timepiece to realise that several hours had gone by in a flash. He’d been supposed to return Jack up to the Pole 15 minutes prior. 

-He’d lost track of time. 

He was E. Aster Bunnymund, he _never_ lost track of time. Not since he was a kit, too young to understand what time was. He’d been a Time Traveler back in the Golden Era, before he’d traded that ability to hide the First Light inside the core of this planet eons ago. 

And yet… He was 16 minutes late now. 

“North’s prolly worried.” Bunny got out, turning to get a glimpse of Jack out of the corner of his eye. “We’re late.”

“Yeah…” Jack said reluctantly, slowly sliding off of Bunny’s back. Bunny fought the urge to shiver at the feeling of Jack’s thin nimble fingers sliding through his fur, across his sides, waiting until Jack was standing on his own two feet before looking at him. 

Jack’s cheerful laughing demeanour was gone, replaced by one of dismay. Which did not seem at all appropriate for the Guardian of Joy, much less one who was about to ride on _Santa Claus’ Sleigh_ as Father Christmas dropped off gifts around the world. 

Bunny didn’t know what to make of Jack’s reaction. “Race y’there.” He commented, then darted off, his muscles feeling stiff and ungainly. 

“HEY!” Jack shouted after him. “I DON’T KNOW WHERE THE PORTAL IS!!!”

Hadn’t stopped Jack from racing Bunny to the Warren, when he hadn’t known what tunnels would take him there either. Bunny smiled grimly to himself at Jack stubbornness, claws digging into the warm soil of his home, grounding him back into the here and now. He could feel Jack’s energy’s brush against the Warren’s walls, and whistled, drawing Jack back in the right direction when he felt Jack turn the wrong way. 

He came to a sudden stop in front of the Portal, Phil standing in front of it looking worried. “Sorry mate.” Bunny apologised. “Got a little distracted.”

Phil just shook his head in exasperation, as if he’d expected it. Jack showed up a second later, his expression a mix of happiness and dismay. “Heeeeeey, Phil.” Jack drawled, touching down. “Hope this hasn’t thrown things off too much.” He said with a nervous smile, his hoodie stuff with a bouquet's worth of flowers.

Bunny wanted to weave them into a crown for Jack to wear. 

The yeti just grabbed Jack by the back of the hoodie and chucked him through the Portal. “Byyyeeeeee!” Jack’s voice warbled out, disappearing as the last of his appearance did. Phil gave Bunny a brief salute, then jumped through as well, the Portal closing behind him. 

Bunny sank down on his haunches, heart beating up in his throat. Late. He’d been _late_.

He mentally reviewing the past couple of hours with a dawning sense of dread. They’d been circling each other, offering questions and flowers like gifts, showing off with various acrobatic feats. 

… Dancing. They’d been _dancing_ with each other. Proper Pookan dancing. 

Jack hadn’t even kissed anyone yet, he was completely innocent. He had no way to know that to a Pooka, dancing was a big step in courting. Jack was _human_ , he probably thought that it had all been some sort of game, like a child’s game of tag…. 

And Bunny had been bouncing around like a twitterpated _loon_.

Bunny was suddenly furious with himself. This. This had to **stop**. He was doing exactly what he’d sworn not to do. 

He took a deep breath, and realised that the Warren smelled like them. Jack had left little touches of frost wherever he touched, the sharp clean bite of melting ice mixing with the familiar scent of the Warren. 

Bunny groaned. He couldn’t stay here. Not while it smelled like Jack. He wanted to roll around in it, intermingle the two so they smelled like each other and-

The West Wind, the Spring Wind, had always been kind to him. He called for it, asking it to air out the Warren, then opened up a tunnel, heedless of the flowers that had grown up around his ankles as the wind started to whistle through his home. Bunny ran through the tunnels, debating where to go, resolutely keeping his feet from venturing too close to either his home or the Pole. It was Christmas Eve, which meant the surface was out too, North and Jack would be doing crazy loops around the planet. 

He tried not to think too much, to dwell on Jack’s joy as they explored the Warren, the way Bunny hadn’t been able to stop laughing, admiration on the way Jack had moved around him, dancing…

He eventually found himself at Punjam Hy Loo, the towers both familiar and different enough he felt himself relax as he made his way up to the tallest tower without urgency. Fairies chirped hello at him, and then Tooth popped a head over the main tower, beaming at him. “Bunny!” She cheered at him and waving. “What brings you here?!”

“Mind if I kip here tonight?” Bunny asked, leaping up to the top platform, offering her a wan smile. 

“Of course you can! Anytime!” Tooth immediately exclaimed, hovering beside him. “Is everything alright, Aster? I thought you were going to be working on one of Jack's senses tonight.” 

“We did.” Bunny agreed, sinking down onto his haunches. “Scent.”

“Did it go okay?” She asked, looking concerned. 

“Went fine. I just need ta air the Warren out a bit.” 

“Air it…? Did something happen?!”

“Naw, I just….” He trailed off, then let out a deep breath, running a paw over hi head, and down his ears. “We danced.” 

“Danced?” Tooth echoed, unsure. “Wait. Danced like-?” The crest on the top of her head puffed up, tail feathers momentarily spreading out to show them off. 

“Yeah.” He nodded, the raw feeling in his gut churning. They had danced together too, once upon a time.

She beamed at him, mouth splitting into a cheerful grin, showing off her flat pearly teeth. “Isn't that good thing?” Tooth said, bright and happy. 

“He don't understand what it means.” Bunny swallowed. “He's _human_ , Tooth. Ta him it was a game, like tag. Not…” 

“What if he did know?” Tooth asked, just a bit nervously. 

He shook his head. “Not likely.” Bunny dismissed it, feeling tired and old. 

“Bunny.” She scolded, putting her hands on her hips. 

“No, Tooth.”

“You could be _happy_ ” Tooth protested. “You both could.” She added softly, almost a whisper that he probably wasn’t supposed to hear.

“The sole reason we Guardians _exist_ is ta protect childhood.” Bunny growled back. “Being happy ain’t got **nothin'** ta do with that.” 

As long as children believed in them, they existed. If that belief faded or disappeared, well, Pitch had shown them exactly what would happen, hadn’t he? Their entire existence depended on giving everything they could to the kids. 

Didn’t matter how happy or sad they felt, as long as they did their duty. 

And love like this was selfish, wanting to cleave your life together with someone else’s. Wanting their time, attention, and affection. Dangerous too. If being with Jack had made Bunny lose his sense of time and forget about North’s annual run, what else could he be distracted from?

“You’re not being logical.” Tooth soothed, her hands stroking his shoulders. “And you’re ignoring your instincts.”

“I know.” He muttered, shoulders drooping at her touch. After a dance like that, they should be curled up somewhere soft, enjoying each other’s company, maybe a bit of grooming… 

Which wasn’t going to happen. Bunny had his duties, and Jack had his. 

There were two more senses left to go. Bunny would just have to get them done and over with as fast as possible, and then this would be over, they could go their separate ways again. No more lingering, no more conversations, and no more _dancing_.

No more false hope, thinking that this might be something more. He was helping a teammate, that was all. 

“Come on.” Tooth said quietly, urging him away from the tower. She escorted him down from the rooftop of the main platform, towards one off to the side. Her personal rooms, so that she was always close by in case of emergency. 

She urged him towards her bed, more of a nest, heaped high with cushions and pillows. He crawled in, giving a small sigh as she fluttered around, dropping shades down over the open sides, darkening the room. Not as dark as Bunny’s nest, but enough so the brightness of Punjam Hy Loo wasn’t distracting. 

“Thanks, Tooth.” He whispered, curling himself into a ball, eyelids growing heavy. 

“Anytime.” She said, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead, then wrapped him up in _their_ blanket, the one he had made after they’d agreed to stop dating and she’d given back the courting blanket made of his fur. This blanket was made of his fur, feathers from her and all her girls, and just a bit of wool, woven into an iridescent fabric. It was an old Pooka tradition, an offering of self and a promise to always keep the person warm. 

It was made from parts of themselves, because while they weren’t courting anymore, she was still his Battle Sister, Comrade in Arms, and it felt important to symbolise that, to keep that bond between them. The blanket had grown as her girls had multiplied, until it was large enough now for Tooth and all her Fairies to sleep on at the same time if they so chose. 

It smelled like them, a little like him, the bitter tang of possibility that had never panned out into something more. The it was still enough to soothe his aching senses, and he fell into a slightly restless slumber. 

He woke up a little later at the sound of soft voices, ears twitching slightly as he thought he smelled a touch of frost in the air.

“All the Guardians are broken in our own ways.” Tooth’s voice said softly, and he could feel the brushing of Sandy’s dreamsand brush along his face before he could open his eyes, pulling him back under. “That’s why we do what we do. Bunny has enough hope for the world, but none for himself.” 

The sleep that followed was dreamless, and Bunny made a note to thank Sandy for that later.

* * *

February was not a good time for him, the Egg Plants were kicking up into high gear, getting ready for Easter, but he had a promise to keep, so he’d set some time aside to open the next of Jack’s senses.

More appropriately, North, the conman, had used Bunny’s distraction over his holiday to drag him up to the Workshop in the middle of the month. 

Bunny really hated North some days. A lot of days, if he was to be honest. North just had that kind of personality. And smug face. It was very satisfying to hit. 

But still, Bunny was not going to open up Jack sense of Touch at the Warren. Not after last time. And the best place for it was North’s Workshop, where there were lots of different textures and things to explore with the new sense. And Yeti to watch over him, to make sure the new sense didn’t hurt Jack. He didn’t think the coarse linen shirt and deerskin trousers Jack wore would cause too much trouble, but Phil had shown Bunny the silk and fine cotton clothing the yeti had made just in case. 

Bunny’s own fingers had itched to touch the soft material, but he’d refrained. Fine fabrics and claws weren’t always a great combination. 

“Bunny!” Jack had shouted jubilantly as he’d spotted Bunny diving down from the upper levels of the workshop. Jack landed lightly in front of Bunny with a wide smile, a small flurry of cheerful snowflakes spiralling around him. “What brings you by?!”

Bunny tilted his head in confusion. “Thought North toldja that I was swingin’ by today ta open another sense-?” The Guardian of Wonder had certainly been vocal enough about getting Bunny to do it. 

“Nope.” Jack shook his head, looking a little puzzled as well. “First I’ve heard of it. Touch?”

“Only if you’re ready.” Bunny said firmly. 

Jack rolled his eyes. “I’m ready.” He gave Bunny a slightly affronted look that had Bunny chuckling without meaning to. 

“Reckon so.” He admitted, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach. Just helping a friend, that was all. No reason for him to get all excited that Jack was so close. 

“Where are we going this time?” Jack asked eagerly. 

“Here.” Bunny gestured to the entirety of the Workshop. 

“Oh.” Bunny wasn’t sure if he was reading into it too much or not, but it almost seemed like Jack was… disappointed. 

He wasn’t going to think about that. Really. He wasn’t. “Give me your staff for a tick, if you would.” Bunny asked, holding a paw out. “I need your hands.”

“Sure.” Jack handed his staff over without the hesitation he’d shown the last time Bunny had asked him of that. Bunny pretended that the display of trust didn’t warm his heart, leaning the staff on to the wall next to them, before turning back and cradling Jack’s hands in his own paws, his thumbs resting in the middle of Jack’s palm.

Jack curled his fingers around Bunny’s thumb, and Bunny tried to ignore the realisation of just how tiny Jack’s hands were in comparison to his own thick clawed mits. It didn’t bear thinking about, not about that, nor how smooth Jack’s skin was, or how it was chilled, but always warmer than he expected. 

“Ready?” He asked quietly. Jack took a deep breath then nodded, looking up at him with those lovely blue eyes for a moment before closing them in a gesture of of trust that still did funny things to his insides. Bunny leaned forward, whispering the Pookan Blessing against Jack’s forehead, lips brushing the soft silver strands of hair before pressing a kiss to the middle of Jack’s forehead. 

He lifted Jack’s hands, uncurling the fingers with a gentle swipe of his thumbs, placing a kiss in each palm of Jack’s hands, Jack giving a small hitching gasp as he did so.

A benediction, and a farewell, of sorts. He’d promised himself. No more games, no more lingering. Just a friend helping a friend. 

He released Jack’s hands, keeping an eye on him as Bunny turned and reached for the staff, Jack flexing his hands, staring down at them as if he expected them to look different. 

“Here.” Bunny said, handing Jack his staff, keeping his power reined in so that he didn’t make it blossom and bloom. Jack looked confused as he took it, ice blossoming over the wood. 

“It’s… cold?” Jack breathed, reaching out and running his fingers over the wood that was both rough bark and smooth from handling. His fingertips brushed the back of his other hand, and his breath hitched again, and Bunny could just imagine how the skin probably tingled slightly, unused to registering the contact. 

Jack touched his face, slowly exploring it with slightly shaking fingers, the slope of the nose, the softness of his lips, the silk of his hair. His hand trailed down, along the narrow line of his chest, rubbing the fabric between fingers, before travelling downwards, running across his hip and the top of a thigh, before reaching up for his sleeve again. 

He seemed entranced, amazed at the feel of his own skin against skin. Bunny wondered how his fur would feel to Jack, now that he had more of of a sense of touch. He was softer than Jack’s hair, and the thought flickered by of letting Jack explore Bunny’s body…

“Alright?” Bunny asked quietly as Jack ran a hand through his hair, nearly arching into the contact. Skin hungry, Bunny guessed. Not realising he’d been missing touch until he got it back. He’d probably be real handsy for the next while.

“Yes.” Jack nodded, turning those wondering eyes on him. Jack raised his hand, hovering over Bunny’s own paw, fingerips almost touching the area where the leather bracers met fur. Bunny felt his pulse pick up, torn between the urge allow the contact, and to flee before it could happen. 

Bunny could just feel the slightest bit of chill on the back of his hand when North burst into the room, arms extended wide in both jubilation and a hug. “ **JACK!** ”

“North!” Jack laughed as he was lifted up off his feet by the giant bearlike man, crushed against North’s chest in a bone creaking embrace. 

Bunny opened a rabbit hole into the wall and slipped through, closing it almost all the way, leaving just a peephole, his heart beating furiously in his chest as if he’d just run around the globe instead of standing there frozen like a prey animal in front of spotlights. 

“I could feel your Wonder from halfway across Workshop!!” North boomed out. “It worked, yes?!”

“I can _feel_!!!" Jack joyfully proclaimed, Bunny peeking out through the small gap just enough to see Jack petting the embroidery on North’s shoulders. “Bunny-”

Jack’s expression shifted to confusion as he looked around at where Bunny had been standing. “Bunny?” He called, glancing around the room, as if expecting Bunny to still be standing there. 

“Is gone.” North concluded, and Bunny turned his head away North set Jack down. “I am so sorry, I interrupted moment, didn’t I-?”

What moment, Bunny wanted to scoff. He closed the last gap of the rabbit hole and turned back towards the Warren. 

He had a holiday to prepare for.

* * *

One that he didn’t much time to prepare for, a Portal opening up in the Warren a few hours later. “ **BUNNYMUND!** ” North’s angry shout echoed throughout the caverns. 

Oooh. Almost his full name. Something certainly had put some sort of bee in North’s bonnet.

“BIT BUSY MATE!” Bunny shouted back, growing another room of Egg Plants. He didn’t usually need to force grow them until they sprouted eggs, but giving them a few weeks to stretch their leaves was healthier for both the plants and the soil. He checked them over, making sure they were all healthy. 

Last he needed was some sort of mold or spore infection attacking his plants. Growing a room full of plants all at once tended to be a bit indiscriminate in what exactly grew. 

“YOU.” North’s voice echoed throughout the chamber, the large man brandishing his sabres.

Bunny glanced around in alarm. “Pitch attacking?”

“What?” North paused, giving him a strange look. “No.”

“Then what’s up with the toothpicks?” Bunny demanded, dodging past North to head to the next room. 

“They are for new rabbit hide pelt.” North snarled, following Bunny. 

“What did I do?!” Bunny glanced behind, vaguely impressed at the pace North was keeping. 

“It is _Valentine’s Day!_ ” North growled, a sarcastic bite to his voice. Bunny rolled his eyes, he hated it when North got sarcastic. “Most romantic day of Year!!”

“And?” Bunny called back. What did that have to do with him?

“And you come Workshop! Surprise Jack!” North waved his arms. “And then do not even make move!”

“I… what?” Bunny came to a abrupt stop, claws digging grooves in the soil. “This about me spending time with Jack to open his senses?” He turned to face North, who skidded to a stop next to Bunny, looming over him. 

“Yes!” 

Bunny growled, standing up as tall as he got up and jabbing the blunt end of a claw at the swordsman’s chest. “I have been a _Perfect Gentleman_ , bloody oath I have!” He growled. Hadn’t made a single inappropriate move. 

Thoughts, maybe. But he’d never acted on them.

-Except maybe the dancing, and he hadn't realised he'd been doing that until afterwards.

“I _KNOW_!” North roared back, throwing his huge hands into the air in exasperation. “What is WRONG with you?!” 

“I don’t even know how to answer that.” Bunny muttered, running a hand down his face. Seriously. What the heck? He narrowed his eyes at North. “What is wrong with YOU?” He demanded back. 

North was the one who declared himself Jack’s family, taken the young Guardian under his wing. If anything, he should be threatening Bunny with those dang swords for the thoughts he’d entertained.

… Previously entertained. Not anymore. 

“Nevermind.” Bunny shook his head, cutting off North’s blathering and that train of thought. “Easter’s in little more than a month, I’ll take care of Jack’s last sense and deal with your nonsense after then. Until then, rack off, I ain’t got the time.”

He opened a tunnel right under North, dropping him in, and closing the tunnel after. There was an Egg Sentinel there who’d escort North safely up to the Pole. 

He continued on, calculating how many more plants he needed to grow, and what prep he still needed to do on the Colour River. 

Still, the conversation bothered him, and when he hit a slight pause, instead of catching a quick kip, he went up and tracked down Sandy. First, he starting off with thanking him for the dreamless sleep when he’d slept at Tooth’s, before getting to the question that was needling him. 

"Is there something wrong with North?" Bunny demanded. "Seriously? Did he hit his head recently? Too much wine? Is something going on that I don't know about?"

Sandy's reaction was to make a kissy face, then boot Bunny off his cloud. 

It wasn't that far to the ground and the impact didn't even hurt, but it made Bunny wonder if there was something possibly affecting all the other Guardians. This was getting kind of ridiculous.

* * *

By the time Easter was done and over with, Bunny was too exhausted to worry about it. He had a nice bolstering of Hope, enough that the other Guardians should have gotten a bit of a buzz from it, but he was plain knackered. 

Sleep. He needed a nice nap. But he’d promised that he’d take care of Jack’s senses after Easter, and if he didn’t do it now, it wouldn’t get done for at least another month. He planned on kipping for at least that long.

“Bunny!” Jack gasped as Bunny pulled himself out of the tunnel into the foyer of the Workshop. Well, that saved Bunny from having to hunt him down in the Workshop, and meant he could ignore North for a little while longer. 

Jack tilted his head, staring at Bunny. “... You don’t look so great.”

“End of Easter.” Bunny shrugged a shoulder, then grimaced as something popped. He stopped and stretched, getting a few more pops out of his spine. “Always little ragged after. I’ll be right as rain after a bit of a kip.”

Which gave him the perfect excuse to do this as fast as he could, and head back to the Warren and attempt to sleep this stupid affection off. It hadn’t worked before, but there was always hoping.

He’d been right the first time around. Solitude was better than knowing the glow of Jack’s smile, the sharpness of his wit, and how soft his skin was. It was too late to go back and wipe it out, the only thing he could do was his best to get over it and move on. 

“We can do this later, if you need to recover.” Jack offered, watching him with a somewhat reserved look. 

“Nah. Got ‘nough in me for this before I rest.” Bunny shook his head. “Unless you wanna wait-?” 

Jack shrugged in return, and Bunny hesitated, just for a moment. There was something subdued about Jack this time around, none of the bubbling excitement of getting a new sense. Even the usually heady sweet scent of hope around him was muted. 

“Alright?” Bunny asked, leaning down to stare at Jack’s face, trying to get a read on what was going on. 

Maybe it was the same thing that was up with North and Sandy?

“Yeah. But I do have one request.” Jack said evenly.

Bunny tilted his head to the side, trying to figure out what was going on. There was a tightness to Jack's jaw, a defiance to his eyes that set off alarm bells in his head. “Okay?”

“I get to pick what I taste first.” Jack said, raising his chin stubbornly. 

That was easy enough. “Reckon it’s your call, mate.” Bunny agreed, and Jack’s shoulders slumped slightly, his posture relaxing. It wasn’t like he’d had a great idea for it this time around. Just a bit of snow. 

Bunny waited a moment more, to see if there was anything more forthcoming, but there wasn’t. 

“Ready?” Bunny asked, stepping forward. Jack nodded, raising his face towards Bunny’s without prompting, closing his eyes. 

Bunny swallowed, his throat tight. One last blessing, then this was over. He cradled the side of Jack’s face in one hand, Jack stiffening for a moment, before leaning into the contact, nearly rubbing his face against Bunny’s palm in an extremely cat-like gesture before settling again. 

Bunny leaned forward, hyper aware of his muzzle and whiskers, stopping before brushed against Jack’s nose, whispering the Blessing. He faltered slightly as he finished speaking the final words, the knowledge that Jack had never kissed anyone twisting his guts. 

Not for him.

He ran the pad of his thumb across Jack’s mouth instead, sealing the blessing against Jack’s chapped lips. He could feel the magic settle, just as easily as it had when he’d used kisses, but he felt hollow somehow, unease buzzing slightly under his skin. 

Jack’s kisses belonged to whomever Jack chose to bestow them on, not for Bunny to steal under the pretext of a spell. Not when he knew better. And the magic worked just as well without it. He removed his paw and stepped back, watching Jack intently, pretending the tips of his fingers didn’t tingle.

“Well?” Bunny prompted quietly. 

“Not sure.” Jack said, licking his lips. He opened his eyes, something defiant in those blue depths. “I’m going to need to test it and find out.” 

“Right.” Bunny nodded, figuring that was his cue to go. He’d done what’d promised, Jack had all five senses again, Bunny’s job was done. 

He raised a foot to open a tunnel, and therefore was off balance when Jack impacted against him, Bunny falling backwards against the wall of the foyer, pinned the weight of Jack’s arms around Bunny’s neck. 

Jack’s weight, and Jack’s lips against his own, a firm hard press. Bunny made a muffled sound of confusion, Jack taking the opportunity to lick him, the smooth human tongue sliding against Bunny’s front teeth. 

Kissing. Jack was _kissing_ him. 

Oh.

Well.

… Huh.

He prolly ought to kiss back, shouldn’t he? 

Bunny wrapped his arms around Jack, pinning them together, delighting in how well Jack’s body fit against his, even with the bloody staff between them, and felt Jack smile against his lips. Bunny nipped Jack’s lower lip in response, giving a little lick of his own. 

He could _taste_ Jack’s hope, bathe in in, soak it up, revel in it. 

-How had he spent so long ignoring how sweet it was-? Like drinking honeyed starlight to his senses.

Jack laughed, pulling back, little snowflakes of pure joy sparkling around him. Bunny stared in wonderment at the Guardian in his arms. “You kissed me!” 

“You kissed me back!” Jack countered, proud and gleeful. 

Of course he did, Bunny wasn't a total moron. 

“Wait. So…” Bunny trailed off, trying to figure out where this had come from. Not that he was complaining mind you, but a bit of an explanation might be nice. 

Jack rolled his eyes, giving a little wiggle, getting comfortable without releasing Bunny, the insides of his legs pressing firmly against Bunny’s waist. Bunny shifted to keep one arm around Jack, the other gripping the back of one of Jack’s thighs to help keep him there. It wasn’t as if Jack really weighed a lot. “Well, we had three _really_ good dates." Jack said, one hand gently exploring the shape of Bunny's ears with a soft touch, just this side of teasing. "-And one not so good one…” 

Bunny made a strangled noise in the back of his throat. Dates? They hadn’t been dates, they had….

They had… 

They had totally been dates. Well, bullocks.

Jack laughed, high and delighted, without a trace of mockery in it, and Bunny felt a flush of pleasure for being the cause of it, even if it was a bit at the expense of his pride. 

“So the senses thing-?” Bunny ventured. 

“Real.” Jack assured him, his fingertips briefly brushing against Bunny's lips. “North got tired of me “pining” over you, so he used it as an excuse to chuck me out of the Workshop and see you.” Jack raised his arms from Bunny’s neck to do air quotes, relying on Bunny’s strength and the pressure of his legs to keep from falling. 

-Suddenly North’s outburst about Valentine’s day was making a lot more sense. The Cossack had been matchmaking. Or attempting to, anyway.

“After you showed me the sunset, I thought maybe you liked me too-?” Jack ventured, a little hesitantly. Bunny swallowed and nodded, Jack grinning brilliantly at him, reaching up to run his hand across Bunny’s cheek, Bunny leaning into the contact and nuzzling at Jack's wrist. 

“Sandy dropped me off at Tooth’s place once I stopped getting dizzy with my hearing, and Tooth saw the blanket made of your fur.” Jack said, exploring Bunny’s face and neck with his hands. “Once she stopped screaming over it, she explained what it meant. That it was a Pooka courtship gift.” 

He'd managed to forget that part, when he'd offered the white blanket to Jack. And that Tooth would have know what it represented.

Even if it hadn't turned out like this, he was still glad to have give it to Jack, to offer his fellow Guardian that warmth and comfort.

“-Also that you used to date.” Jack added, momentarily rubbing the fur on Bunny’s shoulders the wrong way before smoothing it out again. “And why you don’t anymore.”

“Yeah.” Bunny tilted his head to the side, not dislodging Jack’s exploration of fur on his neck and shoulders “... Is that a problem?”

“No.” Jack shook his head, then made a face. “Bit like finding out that your older sister used to date the hot guy you like, to be honest.”

Bunny wasn’t so quite removed from the surface and modern slang that he didn’t understand what Jack meant when he thought Bunny was ‘hot’. He felt his face heat up, ears twitching up and down in both embarrassment and mirth. 

“And that most of the reasons why you didn’t work out as a couple aren’t the problems we’ll have.” Jack hesitated, for a moment, then yawned, giving him an apologetic wince. “-For instance, after Easter is my down time too. I’m not really active again until Autumn.”

Which is when Bunny started preliminary prep for Easter. His eyes went wide. “...Oh.”

“Yeah.” Jack nodded back, a smug smirk on his face. 

“Well, in that case.” Bunny shifted his grasp on Jack, letting go of the leg he was holding, but keeping the arm around Jack's back. Panic momentarily flashed across Jack’s face as he hesitantly lowered his legs, standing on his own feet again, fingers reluctantly sliding through the ruff on Bunny’s chest before catching on the bandoleer. “May I offer the use of my Warren to kip in-?”

Jack blinked, a comically dumbfounded look on his face, before he grinned wide and bright, something mischievous lurking. “Sounds good to me. I've been waiting to get my hands on you.” Jack dug his fingers into the fur. “I'm not letting go now.”

“-Just for sleepin’.” Bunny amended. He had a nice cozy spot of clover in mind, outside of his Burrow. Sharing the nest felt a little too intimate at the moment. Jack snickered in response, clearly playing, and Bunny ducked his head. “We should probably talk some more. And I’d like to court ya proper, when I know that I’m doing it.” 

Although he wasn’t quite sure how he was going to top those first experiences with Jack’s senses. But as long as he got a chance to do so with Jack, he had a feeling it’d all work out.

“Sounds good. Just so long as there’s kisses in the talking.” Jack’s grin gentled, turning infinitely sweeter. “I like your kisses.”

“You can have as many kisses as you like.” Bunny promised, leaning down and kissed Jack’s forehead, earning a happy hum. He liked kissing Jack too. In many different places. “I like your kisses too.”

Jack stood up on tiptoes and stole a kiss from Bunny’s lips with his own. And then another one as well, which Bunny gladly stole back. Jack smiled against his lips. “And I want to court you some more too. Dancing was fun.”

Bunny’s eyes went wide. Of course Tooth had explained dancing to Jack. Jack had known exactly what he was doing in the Warren.

…. Bunny really was an idiot. They could have been doing this _months_ ago, saved a lot of heartache on both their parts. 

The sound of boots on the foyer drew his attention, and he turned his head in the direction of the Workshop, belatedly remembering where they were. 

“I can feel both your Wonder.” North’s voice called from the end of the hallway. “Is clothing on? Is it safe to approach?”

A trickle of alarm went down Bunny’s spine. “...He’s gonna be insufferably smug about all this, isn’t he?” He muttered, getting a protective grip on Jack.

“Yes.” Jack groaned, pressing his head against Bunny’s chest. “And if you thought it was bad before, imagine having lived with him.” 

“Oh dear.” At least Tooth would be reasonable about this. Smug, yes. But not unbearably so. Sandy too.

“If you love me at all, you’ll open a tunnel right now and get us out of here.” Jack muttered. 

“I am coming in, clothing or not!!” North called. 

“Done.” Bunny tapped the ground, opening a tunnel. North would make them pay for this later, but that was _later_ , after they’d finished clearing the air between them and built something on more than hope and a few kisses. 

“I’M SPENDING THE SUMMER AT THE WARREN.” Jack shouted, then pushed them both into the tunnel. “YOU’RE **NOT** INVITED.” 

Bunny snorted a laugh as they started to fall, tossing Jack over one shoulder so he was clinging to Bunny’s back instead of his front, then took off running, closing the tunnel behind him. 

“Oh thank goodness.” Jack muttered, pressing his head against the back of Bunny’s neck. “North is _such_ a busy body.” 

Bunny laughed the entire way home.

-fin-

**Author's Note:**

> * * *
> 
> Yes, Tooth was the one who snuck the Tarantula on North's sleigh. ~_^ All of the street names she lists off are real too.
> 
> Looked up the flowers after writing the scene in the Warren and laughed at the symbolism that was unexpectedly chosen.  
> The plants that Jack explores: Nasturtium - _Victory through Battle_ , Roses - _Love_ , Lilac - _First emotion of love/Youthful innocence_ , Gardenias - _Secret love/Joy_ , Freesias - _Innocence/Friendship_ , Daffodil - _Rebirth/New Beginnings_.  
>  Bunny touches Lavender - _Silence/Devotion_. 
> 
> This is an [Reddit Interview with Peter Ramsey](https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/13j3n0/i_am_peter_ramsey_director_of_rise_of_the/c75hh3g) where he says that _"Any of the Guardians sees their own existence as being ONLY about serving childhood."_ which always struck me as very sad.
> 
> And this story was inspired by The Hobbit fic [Oak and Mistletoe](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4559505) by [achildofyavanna](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4559505) because the idea of someone not having senses and them slowly being woken up was absolutely fascinating and burrowed in our brain.  
>   
> 


End file.
